About admin

Window to Wildlife features the photography of Jim Edlhuber. A lifelong native of Wisconsin, Jim has been photographing wildlife for 20 years. He considers himself an avid photographer and is always trying to capture nature and wildlife through his lens. He is in several photography clubs and has won numerous awards for his work. In recent years, Jim has focused mostly on birding photography and finds it to be the most challenging.

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to walk into a Great Egret rookery in Waukesha County. This rookery is tucked away on private property and has no access to the public, sorry. The rookery was nothing like I would have expected. It was a full grown mature forest of hardwoods. As I entered the rookery on the forest floor, the sounds of squawking birds was almost overwhelming. High above on the tree tops were at least 6 active Great Egret nests with good size chicks ready to fledge the nest, most where already out on the limbs strengthening their wings and legs for their maiden flights. A few chicks were still just sitting on the nest. A few adults were seen flying over, monitoring the young chicks maybe, but I just did not see any on the edge of the nest. With all the dense foliage above in the canopy, you could see a Great Egret chick above, take 4 steps and struggle to see the same bird from a different location, the foliage was that dense. Amazing as it may sound, there were also at least 40 plus Great Blue Heron nests, and many of them were active too. Same thing, most birds were at the edge of the nest, some in the nest or on limbs close by, a few feet away waiting for their maiden flight. It appeared some Great Egret nests were a few feet from Great Blue Herons nests and many were perched near each other too. A few interesting observations were made, it appears at least 2 deceased Great Egrets chicks were seen in different nests from below. Also, a skeleton of a Great Blue Heron is seen hanging off the side of a nest. It was an exciting experience to see and so educational as well. A couple images may be of the same nest taken from a different location there. Thanks to who made this visit possible. It was a mild day with temps about 80, full sun, no wind. Images were taken on July 19, 2018.

1st sighting, a pair of Great Egret fledglings in the nest with a 3rd behind on the left perched out of the nest…

Looking up into the canopy, in a opening is a Great Egret fledgling perched, we had to look hard to see these birds in the canopy above…

A Great Egret fledgling in the nest and another 2 fledglings perched outside the nest on each side of the nest on limbs along with a Great Blue Heron fledgling on the right…

A Great Egret fledgling perched with a nest in front of it and Great Blue Herons fledgling in a nest close by…

A pair of Great Egrets fledglings perched out of the nest waiting…

Great Blue Heron fledglings in their nest with in close proximity of the Great Egrets…

Two perched Great Egret fledglings perched front of their nest with another one on the left near the nest or in it…

A Great Blue Heron juvenile perched above the nests…

Great Egret fledglings perched with another one in the nest on the left…

(Graphic) Skeleton of a deceased Great Blue Heron hanging over the side of the nest…

Two Great Egret fledglings perched high near the top of the canopy which is where they all were in this rookery, one doing some preening…

Great Egret nest did not appear as dense as a Great Blue Heron nest…

A Great Blue Heron is perched on the side of the nest of what appears to be a deceased Great Egret chick in the nest…

Two Great Blue Heron fledglings appear to be looking down at me…

A Great Egret fledgling in the nest…

A Great Blue Heron fledgling perched on the end of a limb with another one overlooking the situation, it is how they strengthen their wings and legs…

A little off balance here, it is all about getting stronger legs and wings…

More of the Great Blue Heron fledgling balancing act…

Great Blue Heron broken egg shell on the ground…

Great Blue Heron egg on the ground with eye glasses for size comparison…

I stopped at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee County this morning for some mid-summer birding. Birding was about what is expected for this time of year, sorta slow, but the native wildflowers on the grounds there were stunning. I walked some of the prairie and woodland edge trail and path areas there and there is a lot going on as far as species blooming. Prairie grasses are just about to start blooming. Very few mosquitoes which surprised me. It was a nice morning with temps starting around 65, full sun but a few clouds rolled in soon, a little bit of a breeze. Images were taken on July 23, 2018.

I saw the report yesterday with images by Chistin G. of an albino American Crow at Nashotah Park in Waukesha County. With not much going on, I was very curious about this bird, being close to home, I decided to make the run over there today. Within minutes after entering the park, I heard the sound of American Crows. I located a flock that were spread out in a few different trees and low and behold, there was a white one, the albino! The more I watched this bird, the more cool and interesting, unique it seemed to me. It amazed me! I stopped in at the park a few different times as they were on the move with joggers twice and a walking couple another time, they had left area where I was. Crows were being crows and they don’t miss a thing, they have look out bird(s) and you can’t just sneak up on these birds. The bird appears to be a young bird, it had some issues perched in the trees, hanging on to limbs and my images show that. A big thank you to Christin G for finding this bird and getting the word out for others to see it. Some may say, it is just a crow, but looking at it and watching it today, it is a very special crow at that. It was a very hot and humid morning, walking through very tall wet grass with little winds, full sun, it felt like a sauna out there. Images were taken on July 15, 2018. Note: Nashotah Park is a Waukesha County Park and there is an entrance fee unless you have a annual sticker.

The first view of the albino American Crow perched on top of a spruce with a regular American Crow…

By itself…

Perched off in a oak tree by itself…

Perched…

The bird appears to loose its grip here…

Hanging on…

Hanging on…

And still hanging on…

Stabilizes…

Another slip…

And again…

Stabilizes once again…

Off to another location…

Back on track…

To the south…

Later on a return trip to the park, I see part of the family just hanging out…

Some feeding here for probably insects…

Looking…

Some of the gang…

Finding something…

Just a bite here to eat…

Later found perched in a dead pine with another bird…

Some preening by the albino crow…

What is being said here, I don’t know…

3 of them…

A wing stretch here…

A little off balance…

Perched and looking around…

The albino American Crow flies out of sight with the other crows…

What is Leucism?

Leucism is an uncommon condition in birds. This condition is caused by a genetic mutation which prevents pigments, particularly melanin, from being deposited evenly in the bird’s feathers. Leucistic birds have melanin elsewhere in their bodies which is why they may have dark eyes, legs, and bills. However, their true color will be missing or greatly reduced due to the lack of proper pigmentation.

What is Albinism?

Leucism is similar to albinism as in both cases the birds may be completely white. However, albinism is defined as a complete absence of melanin in an animal. Truly albino species will have pink eyes as the only color seen will be caused by blood vessels behind their eyes. They will also have pink bills, legs, and feet. Albinism is extremely rare in birds.

Notes:

Leucistic birds are extremely uncommon for a number of reasons. They are not thought to live very long because their white feathers make it difficult for them to hide from predators. If they do stay alive, it is difficult for them to find a mate and successfully pass on their genetic mutation. Additionally, the melanin found in regular birds adds strength to the feathers. Leucistic birds lacking melanin have weaker feathers and thus have a more difficult time flying in severe weather. Last, the reflective properties of white feathers may be problematic for birds who rely on solar energy for heat.

A stop this morning at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee provided some nice views of some great Wisconsin native wildflowers. I took a few images to share. It was a morning with plenty of sunshine, a steady breeze out of the south, temps were warm with a high expected near 90 degrees. A couple of the images were taken in our yard here in Waukesha, they are noted as that. Images were taken on July 13, 2018.

There is a Eastern Kingbird nest many birders have been watching for the last month at Greenfield Park. Today was the day and an amazing day watching the young leave the nest, I just happened to be there. Two adults have been feeding the young right along for the month plus at in the nest. All of the sudden, a fledgling on the top edge of the nest, then out it flew about 2 feet. A minute later up popped up another fledgling in the nest and up on the edge of the nest it went. That bird flew a little farther, about 4 feet from the nest. Adults came around and feed them a few times rotating between birds. At one time and adult bird landed next to a fledgling and preened. A moment later the fledgling preened too, just like class! It was so fun to watch all this in a few minutes. It was a gorgeous day with perfect temps, 70, full sun, with a light breeze. Images were taken on July 7, 2018.

1st Eastern Kingbird fledgling ready to make the maiden flight from the nest.

Makes the landing a couple feet from the nest with a little struggle with balance at first…

Looking back at the nest where it just came from…

An adult lands at the nest and checks on the 2nd young bird…

1st bird is calling to the adult losing some balance…

The adult says to the young, it is time to leave the nest with the 1st bird behind it…

The 2nd fledgling lands about 4 feet from the nest and the adult quickly lands next to it…

1st fledgling calling for an adult…

The adult comes over and preens in front of the fledgling to show how it is done…

Doing some birding in Milwaukee County this morning I came across 3 Woodchucks. 1 Adult and 2 chucklings that gave nice views for a few minutes while I watched them. The adult actually approached some but then stayed at a distance for the remainder of the time I was present. The 2 chucklings followed the adult and on occasion showed affection to the adult, how cute it was. It was a hot and humid morning out with temps in the upper 80’s, a nice breeze made it tolerable. Images were taken on June 18, 2018.

After returning home from birding some of the lakefront in Milwaukee in the morning I realized my birding was not finished for the day. I saw the rare bird report of an Arctic Tern found by Amy K up at Sheboygan. I needed this bird for my Wisconsin state life list so I decided to make the run up around 12:30 pm. My last try for this species was back on May 21, 2016 when there was one present at the time of seeing the famous White-winged Tern in Manitowoc, but I missed that bird by a day. I got a hold of Amy and she told me exactly where she saw the Arctic Tern and from where. I picked up Bruce on the way up as he had an interest in seeing this bird. We arrived around 2:00 pm and went to the hot spot, the Blue Harbor Pier. We could see very many gulls and some terns from the pier on the rocks in the harbor, but unfortunately it was too far to get an ID. We tried by the sailing club and met Barry B there, but could not ID the Arctic Tern 100% from there with the distance. None of us brought a scope! We knew our only hope was to wait for a birder with a scope to show up. Along came Davor G with his scope. We headed back over to the pier and with in a minute or two Davor had the tern in his scope. The bird was about 1/4 mile away from us so images are not much, just a couple of doc shots. Big thank you to Amy K for finding the rare bird and getting the word out to others, and Davor for nailing this bird in his scope. There was a lot of excitement had with all of us and a few birders that showed up after the big find. A mostly sunny period when I was there, stiff breeze off the lake where, felt very cool and it made me have to have two light coats on. Images were taken on June 15, 2018.

Arctic Tern surrounded by Common Terns…bird is a couple inches above the round hole in the rock…image taken at about 1/4 mile from tern..

Red arrow to see the tern location…just above the round hole in the rock…

Doing some birding I came across a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers. One bird was bringing insects to the nest hole in a dead oak. The other adult perched at a distance off a ways from the nest hole. I hung around for 3 feedings and then let them be. It was a beautiful day, mostly sunny with some gusts of winds which made for a stunning day out there, and no mosquito’s. Images were taken on June 11, 2018.

While strolling through Greenfield Park today I had the opportunity to watch from a distance a Snapping Turtle finishing up laying eggs, then a walk to pond nearby. I gave it plenty of space letting it do it’s thing staying 15- 20 feet away not to disturb it. Images were taken on June 8, 2018.

One of my birding stops this morning was Greenfield Park in Milwaukee County. A slow morning out, the highlight at Greenfield Park was a Great Blue Heron hunting, catching and eating a Goldfish. It is always nice to see a heron eat something other than a Goldfish, but I guess it is good if they are taken out of the pond. Other species seen where a few Green Herons doing some high flybys. A beautiful morning out with light sun, low winds and temps in the upper 60’s. Images were taken on June 8, 2018.

The Great Blue Heron looking and waiting for something to eat…

Intense listening and looking and waiting for the next meal…

The catch…

Some handling of the fish…

More handling of the fish…

More handling of the fish…

Turning the fish in the correct position to swallow…

In it goes…

Going in…

Going down…

Gulp…

More gulp with a quick drink which is what they do typically after eating something…

I made the annual early June stop at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha to see if any Bobolinks were around. There were at least 10 males and some females present, I really did not do a count. They flew to many field locations and gave nice views flying and perching near me at times. Nice to see them there. No sign of Dickcissels which I had hoped to see there too. It was a warm sunny morning with little winds, I was hot standing out on a trail there. Images were taken on June 7, 2018.

I made a run up to North Point Park in Sheboygan on Lake Michigan’s lakefront to see if American White Pelicans where present. Arriving just after sun up, there were about 150 off the rock point. The water on the lake is high and there is less room for them to gather on the point so they were more condensed I would say. A couple of the old concrete piers to the south of the point held some pelicans on and off while I was there in the morning, they were flying back and forth. There was not much action when I was there other than some flying back and forth to the piers or flying just down the shoreline along with preening and small interaction among them. Even with little action, these majestic birds are still exciting to see. Only other bird to note was a 1st summer Lesser Black-backed Gull. It started out feeling like a cold fall morning with good winds right out of the NE and some haze. Temps did warm up some mid morning with a little sun coming through. Images were taken on May 29, 2018.

At a couple of locations today, Wehr Nature Center being one, also our backyard, I took a few minutes to photograph some of the stunning wildflowers native to the state that were currently blooming. Images were taken on May 25, 2018.

With only a couple hours available today for birding, I thought I would give the male Western Tanager a try that was reported yesterday at the Lion’s Den in Ozaukee County. I arrived at 5:15 am with heavy fog and very little light. The images show that. After about 30 minutes walking along the bluff and different areas, I spotted the Western Tanager on a bluff trail. This species is well out out of it’s normal range. Typically I think we get 1 or 2 in the state each year but their presence is usually short lived with a day visit. A male Scarlet Tanager was usually within the area of the Western Tanager. They both actively feed while I was present for a few minutes I was there as I had to head back home. A cool life bird that I did not have on my life list for Wisconsin yet. Life bird #339 for the state. Sorry for the poor quality of the images, but I tried to capture some of the action to share. A gloomy early morning at the park with heavy fog, little light, but temps where mild, so that was a good thing. Thanks to the finder of this bird and for those who got the word out for others to see it. Images were taken on May 22, 2018.

I had an hour free in the afternoon so I stopped at the Fox River Sanctuary in Waukesha. It had a nice selection of warblers but not a lot of numbers of each. Warblers species seen, Blackburnian, Cape May, Yellow, Tennessee, Nashville, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, American Redstart, Black-and-white, Blackpoll, and Northern Parula. They actively feed along the river. It was a cloudy day, mild temps in the mid 60’s, little wind. Images were taken on May 13, 2018.

While birding Lake Park in Milwaukee one of the highlights was a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher feeding on gnats and then a little preening. A cold day and winds off the lake, it sure did not feel like spring. Images were taken on May 11, 2018.

Making a stop midday at Lake Park gave nice views of many warbler species. One of the highlights was a Blackburnian Warbler feeding on gnats on a opening Maple tree. Other warbler species seen, Cape May, Yellow, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Nashville, Tennessee, Northern Parula, Orange-crowned, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, American Redstart, Palm, Prothonotary, Northern Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson’s, and A Black-and-white. A fun time out with great views for the 2 hours I was there. A pretty nice day, mostly cloudy, mild temps and low winds. Images were taken on May 10, 2018.

While birding at the Fox River Sanctuary this afternoon another stunning warbler species seen feeding was the Cape May Warbler. It was doing what all the warblers do, feeding as they migrate through our area. There were 3 present while I was there. Gnats, gnats were everywhere there, clouds of them in a air and the trees must have been loaded too. Other warbler species to note, Northern Parula, Tennessee, Magnolia, Yellow, Nashville, Palm and Cape May. It was cloudy with a mist once in awhile with temps in the mid 60’s.

I made a quick birding stop after the rain let up today at the Fox River Sanctuary. It was quiet for the first few minutes but then I spotted a Prothonotary Warbler down stream. It feed on gnats on a branch over hanging the river which is typical. The air was filled with gnats as a few times I got them in my mouth. Other warbler species to note, Northern Parula, Tennessee, Magnolia, Yellow, Nashville, Palm and Cape May. It was cloudy with a mist once in awhile with temps in the mid 60’s.

Birding along the lakefront in Milwaukee today, a stop at Lakeshore State Park provided nice views of a Sora. It came out of the cattails a couple of times to do some feeding. At first I thought it was an American Coot, seeing only the front of the head in the dark, but then, yes and Sora! It was a beautiful spring day with perfect temps, sunny skies with low winds.